An Unexpected Ending
by Mara Angel Jade
Summary: Daniel's final meeting with Khalek goes a little differently than expected. Season 9 spoilers, Set in Prototype, no slash. rating set just in case.


Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue

Warning: spoilers for all episodes up to and including Prototype. This takes place right after Khalek escapes from the infirmary.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP. Daniel Jackson looked up at the wall, and saw the lights flashing red, the sign of an emergency. As he ran towards the control room, with Teal'c by his side, he can't help but think about the choice that he would soon have to make, and the effects it would have on the SGC.

_Flashback_

Daniel is looking over the wall panel in the cave, attempting to translate the information that was on the page. All of the sudden, he starts to hear someone speaking. "Daniel……..Daniel…." He looked around; and while the room was completely empty, he suddenly saw the form of a glowing energy being come into the room, slowly changing into a boy.

"Shifu? What are you doing here?" Daniel asked in surprise.

"It is good to see you again Father." Shifu replied. "I have a message from the Ancient Council for you. It is about the one called Khalek. He is not what he seems."

_End Flashback_

Daniel started suddenly and realized that he was in the control room, and that he had gotten there too late. He watched as Khalek stood by the gate, and glared at him.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance." Khalek said, and smirked before going through the gate.

"Watch what you wish for." Daniel whispered, so low that not even Teal'c heard him.

All of the sudden the gate activation alarms began to blare. 'Yes,' thought Daniel, 'it worked'. Sam's plan of rigging the gate so that whoever dialed would be redirected back to earth was working. He saw Mitchell and Teal'c leave to try to get into the room from the right side. Sam, General Landry and Doctor Lam were in the control room watching everything unfold. Daniel saw his chance, and quietly slipped out the back way, and went to the left side entrance. He heard through the door Khalek exclaim in surprise, and then 3 gunshots. He took a deep breath, and with that went through the door.

Sam jumped in surprise. Mitchell just stood there, after shooting Khalek, who while looking a little startled, did not seem to be affected by the wounds in his chest. All of the sudden through the door came a glowing white energy being. Sam immediately recognized it as one of the ancients. "Oh my" she whispered.

The ancient floated past the door and one was by the gate ramp, solidified into a very familiar man. "Daniel" Sam said, "What have you done!"

Daniel reappeared, wearing the same pant and cream sweater combo that he wad worn last time he was ascended. Khalek looked at him, fear finally coming into his eyes.

"Khalek. By order of the Ancient Council, you are guilty of attempting to ascend for the purpose of gaining power not enlightenment, murder, and misuse of stolen ascended knowledge. With the power in me, you are to be sent to stand in front of the Council to seek judgment for your crimes."

Before Khalek could reply, Daniel turned all Glow-y again and floated into Khalek, engulfing him in light, and then went through the gate.

"What the hell just happened?" Asked Landry, looking to Sam for information. "It looks like Daniel ascended again sir, but how and where he went, I have no idea." Sam replied looking just as curious as everyone else. "But I thought that you could only ascend if you were near death." Said Doctor Lam, looking out at the gate. "How could he ascend?"

Before Sam could answer, the gate activated again, this time the computer was working again, and they raised the iris. Then the glowing form of an ancient stepped through, and reshaped himself into Daniel's muscular build.

"I believe that you have some questions for me?" He drawled, looking at the stunned faces of his colleagues.

Everyone gathered in the briefing room, and waited for Daniel to start the story.

"I suppose it all started with the final replicator attack last year. When Replicatior Sam kidnapped me for my Ancient knowledge, she killed me. Afterwards, I arrived in one of the lower ascended plains, kind of like a waiting room. It was a diner from one of my memories. Oma was there, and she told me that she wanted to offer me a second chance at being ascended. I was thinking about it when I met Anubis. I learned that he was ascended because he tricked Oma into helping him. I tried to stop him, but I could not do anything; it was not my fight. But it was Oma's. She stopped him, and even now is battling him, as she will do forever, until the day he is stopped. However, as you can imagine, that left me in a bit of trouble. As I was not ascended yet, the Ancients would not deign to speak to me. I sat down and began to think about all that Oma had taught me. Slowly, I started to glow, until I completely ascended, without any assistance. The Others, joined me, and I learned that as I had not truly ascended my myself the first time, I had been given rules and regulations. Now that I was truly one of them, I was permitted to come back here, and take my place on the team again. They were going to watch us, and see if we were ready for an alliance between the Tauri and the Ancients, for us to take up our place as the fifth race. Had it not been for Khalek, I most likely would have stayed this was for a while longer, but when we released him, the Council saw that we could not let another Anubis out on the galaxy, and as such, sent a messenger to me, telling me to stop him, no matter what the cost. When I was in the cave translating , Shifu came to me and told me of the Council's request. That was right before I realized what Khalek was."

Daniel took a deep breath, and looked out at his stunned audience. "I am sorry that I had to lie to you, but I knew that if I told anyone that I had completely ascended, I would be shipped to Area 51 for immediate testing, and I could not allow that. Even now, with you knowing, I will have to leave. I have left letters for all of you, and Jack as well, they are in my desk."

Teal'c got up, and walked to Daniel. Without saying a word he bowed to him, hand fisted over his heart.

Sam got up with tears in her eyes and hugged him. Cam shook his hand, and Landry said " Well it's been a pleasure having you serve under me Doctor Jackson, You will have to come back and visit." "Oh I'll be around, don't worry." Said Daniel, smiling. "Tell Jack….I don't know. Tell him I'll see him around."

With that, he turned glow-y, and floated through the window to the gate. They all rushed to the window, and waved as the stargate activated, and Daniel's face appeared on the white being. He smiled once, and then went through the gate. It shut down right after, and they all went separate ways, to try and understand the changes that had happened in the last couple hours.

Epilogue

Brigadier General Jack O'Neill sat in his living room, cold beer in hand, and shivered. "What have you done this time, Danny-boy?" he murmured to himself, looking down at the envelope in his hand. Sam had come by a couple of hours ago, and dropped this off, saying it was from Daniel, and that when he had read it, She and Teal'c were in a hotel nearby if he wanted to talk. He had noticed that he was all puffy-eyed as though she had been crying, and that General Landry had also called, to tell him, that when he had read the letter, he would explain everything.

"What makes you think that I have done anything, Jack?" Daniel asked teasingly. Jack jumped up, and saw Daniel sitting on the couch opposite him, in that damnable cream sweater. "You've ascended again" Jack stated, glaring at him. "What happened to 'I'll never rejoin the land of the floating glow in the dark riddle spouting old ones that you promised me after the last time?" Daniel sighed, and said, "It's all in the letter Jack. I just wanted to say goodbye for a while. I'll come back from time to time, but now that everymen knows, I can't stay on earth while staying safe."

"I know Daniel. Promise that you will visit often. And not only for emergency-save-the-world-right-now-missions. You come back soon, and we'll go fishing."

"Ok Jack. Soon. I have to go now, but I'm glad I got to say goodbye before I left."

"Bye Daniel" Jack watched as the form of his best friend turned into a brilliant white being, and disappeared. He took a deep breath, sat down and opened his letter, reading the last words of the man who had stood by him through everything.

The End

Author's Note:

Well, I hope that you like this, I had this in my head for a long time, and I wasn't sure that it came out like I wanted, but it did come out kind of interesting. If you are interested in a sequel, let me know. Please no flames, but reviews are always welcome. -Mara


End file.
